Activism

San Rafael Elks Club Presents Documentary Film on Child Sex-Trafficking

“California’s Forgotten Children” is an award-winning, feature-length documentary directed by Melody C. Miller, and, according to the documentary’s website, exposes the commercial sexual exploitation of children in California.

Published

3 years ago

November 15, 2022

Oakland Post

Top, movie poster. Middle from left: Withelma “T” Ortiz Walker Pettigrew, photo from www.theextraordinary.com; Carissa Phelps photo from alchetron.com; Minh Dang photo from www.globalslaveryindex.org; Leah Jonet Albright-Byrd photo from www.gannett-cdn.com, Nikolaos Al-Khadra photo from hollyaustinsmith.com; and Rachel Thomas, M. Ed., photo from www.rachelcthomas.com

By Godfrey Lee

A special screening of “California’s Forgotten Children,” a film about children who were victims of sexual exploitation and human trafficking, was shown at the San Rafael Elks Lodge #1108, on Nov. 2, 2022.

A Hula dance group performed, and hamburger dinner was served prior to the screening of the film. Laurel Botsford, founding president and CEO of Wisdom International: Help2Others presented the film. Marin County District Attorney Lori Frugoli joined Botsford after the screening to answer questions concerning human trafficking.

Survivors shown in the documentary share their individual stories and help the viewer gain insight into this hidden world. Available online, the film can be shared with children who may also be facing such issues themselves wherever they live.

The resilient survivors featured in the film overcame the commercial sexual exploitation that they experienced as children. They are now changing the world by ensuring that no child is forgotten.

Stories from movement leaders like orator Withelma “T” Ortiz Walker Pettigrew, attorney Carissa Phelps, academic scholar Minh Dang, activist Leah Jonet Albright-Byrd, therapist Nikolaos Al-Khadra, and educator Rachel Thomas, M. Ed., were featured in the documentary.

Current statistics and perspectives on sexual exploitation from professionals in social services, law enforcement, advocates and child welfare were also shown in the film.

Through their honest, personal stories, viewers can see the real world of sex trafficking by uncovering every aspect of commercial sexual exploitation. The film presents a better understanding of this crime, and encourages people to act against the injustice, violence, and slavery, and keep children safe from behind-doors rape.

Viewers also develop empathy for the children being unjustly arrested for prostitution and learn about how to help empower survivors on their path to freedom. Hope and inspiration is found through these survivors who have overcome incredible trauma and who are now leaders in their communities.

If you suspect human trafficking or recruitment and grooming in progress, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or the new San Francisco Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-415-907-9911.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

COMMENTARY: Tell the Supreme Court: We Still Need Affirmative Action

Don't Miss

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Thanks Voters for Re-Election

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

3 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.